Boom Town
by Saela
Summary: The first time Jack Harkness visited Cardiff, he was travelling with Rose and the Doctor. But where was Torchwood Three during that time?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** still not mine.  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> People who don't know the Doctor Who episode 'Boom Town' probably won't be able to follow this. I didn't post this fic in crossovers though, because I haven't worked out yet if the Doctor will really be making an appearance. I hope that anyone who watches Torchwood will have at least some basic knowledge of Doctor Who, especially those episodes where Captain Jack was introduced, but if not, there might be some major spoilers for you in here...  
><strong>Rating: <strong>I wasn't really sure about that one, since there is some mild swearing in this. Since I believe it is mild, I am keeping the rating low. However, if anyone has objections just tell me and I'll change it.  
><strong>Summary: <strong>The first time Jack Harkness visited Cardiff, he was travelling with Rose and the Doctor. But where was Torchwood Three during that time?

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><p>With a sigh, Owen cleared away the last of his scalpels. While the team had spent two days chasing their latest visitor (Jack called him a Ryepsrokitygh, but no one else even understood how to pronounce it), he'd barely learned anything from the creature after it had arrived on the autopsy table. The only thing he was certain of was that it had the disgusting habit of eating everything it came across. He hoped he would be able to get the stench out of his clothes.<p>

The doctor was startled by Jack, who had been leaning against the railing of the autopsy bay and now suddenly spoke up.

'If you're ready, you're free to go home.'

Although he was sorely tempted, Owen knew he couldn't afford to leave this early.

'It's only four o'clock, Jack. I still have time to finish my reports from the last three days before I go.'

'No, you don't.' The Captain flashed him a smile and let go of the railing. 'You need to get home as soon as you can and start packing.' Ignoring the doctor's shocked stare, he went on. 'UNIT's organizing a three-day conference in London and I want you to attend. As our resident medic, you can follow some lectures about alien anatomy and First Aid for Non-Earth Creatures. I know you've been here for almost two years now, but you still have a lot to learn.'

Owen was still trying to process what he'd just heard. 'A conference? I thought we didn't bother with that sort of thing. I still remember my first day here.' He sent Jack a pointed look and continued with an exaggerated American accent. ''We don't have any schooling here, Dr. Harper. Just go out in the field and try to work it out for yourself. After all, medical school doesn't teach alien autopsies.' Something like that, wasn't it?' The last bit was said in his normal voice.

'Maybe. And maybe I changed my mind.' Jack seemed unaffected by the other man's sceptic expression. 'It could do you some good, meet new people, exchange opinions… Don't doctors usually do that sort of thing?' The matter was obviously closed for the Captain, who was already turning back towards the main Hub. Suddenly he stopped and looked towards the autopsy bay once more. 'Oh, and Suzie is going with you. Don't forget to warn her. You should leave at seven tomorrow morning to make it to the first seminar at ten thirty. The hotel has already been booked.'

Then he turned around and made his way to his office, leaving a very confused doctor staring at his retreating back.

XXXXXXXXX

'Jaaack!'

When he'd sat down at his desk, he'd planned on doing some of his own paperwork, but he noticed he'd been staring unseeingly at his screen for the last ten minutes.

_Am I actually doing the right thing here? Or am I going to fail this close to the end?_

His thoughts were interrupted by another shout, this time much closer.

'Jack!'

That was the last warning he had before his door was slammed open and Suzie Costello barged in. Her black hair hung loosely around her slightly red face, and she leaned over his desk threateningly.

'What do you think you're playing at?' With a detached air he noticed her eyes were small slits behind her glasses. At that moment she looked exactly like the person he'd always wanted as his second in command. Smart, calculating and not afraid to tell him when she thought he was acting like an idiot. A small smile was about to break free before he remembered that he really didn't want her to realize what he was acting like this time.

_A damn mad man, that's what. An immortal fool trying not to be driven insane, but failing a bit more every day._

It wouldn't do to let her find out _that _part of his secrets any time soon though, so he tried not to show any emotion at all. 'You'll have to be slightly more specific, Suzie.'

She placed both her fists on his paperwork, but her voice was deceptively calm. 'London, Jack? You're sending Owen to London, when you're usually doing everything you can to keep us away from them? I can't help but wonder what you're planning.'

'Not just Owen,' he reminded her. 'Both of you are leaving tomorrow morning, and I'd like a report on every single person attending that conference.'

'Oh come on, there's bound to be at least five hundred people. UNIT is sending representatives from all over the world, and since One's own city is hosting it, they will want to establish their power. And let's not forget all the other smaller alien-hunting organizations. You could just as well have Tosh hacking their database from here. It would teach us much more than having me and Owen on site. Especially since Owen seems to be under the impression we're only going there to listen to some bunch of alien-doctors!'

_Right, no underestimating Suzie. I should have planned this conversation out, instead of telling her through Owen and hoping she'd accept it. How could I have been so naïve?_

'Owen will be like a fish in the water, and you know it. He was a great doctor before I stole him away from hospitals and living patients, and despite his antisocial behaviour, he will be able to appreciate everything he can learn from UNIT's specialists.' He raised his voice when she looked like she wanted to interrupt. 'Wait, I'm not finished. I know medical conferences are not your thing, and I know you can't spy on five hundred people at once, but I want you to keep an eye on Owen. I've kept all of you too sheltered in here and our doctor and technician don't know enough about the other organizations out there. I don't want One to get their hands on him. Also, I believe I've tried too hard to keep away from them. When Alex was here, we used to know at least some of their plans. Right now, the only thing we know is what you and I have been able to hack and that's not too much. So, you can go with Owen, mingle, enjoy your holiday and learn what our fellow Torchwoods are up to. Three days in London can't be that bad for your health, can it?'

At least his little speech had calmed her down somewhat. She didn't look ready to explode anymore, just ready to throw his stapler at him. 'We're Torchwood, Jack. The first thing you told me when you picked me up was that we _never_ get holidays. You're planning something and I won't calm down before I find out what, but...' _Well, good luck with that,_ was the only answer Jack could come up with, but he was smart enough not to say it out loud. '... but you're obviously not going to tell me. Fine.' She crossed her arms and sat down on a corner of his desk. 'However, as second in command I will need to know how you plan to manage Cardiff with only two people to man the Hub.'

He saw the small smile of triumph on her face, and recognized that this had been her trump card. He smiled in response. 'Tosh finished her Rift predictor program. It still has to be tested a bit more, but she doesn't think anything will come through in the next five days.'

'That's just it Jack! It hasn't been tested enough. What if something _does_ come through? I'll admit that Tosh is almost as fast as Owen in the field, but she's not as strong. She couldn't hold a weevil down if it's struggling. We managed when it was still the two of us, but there's a bloody reason you went and asked the two of them to join us.'

_I just might have fallen for that in any other situation. I knew there was a very good reason she ended up in Torchwood._ But this wasn't any other situation. He wanted them away from Cardiff for the next few days and he wasn't going to change his mind on this one. It had already taken him a lot of time to admit to himself that it would look too strange if he sent Toshiko away as well, because he had desperately wanted to. He wanted the whole team to leave and he wanted to go with them. He'd had the urge to run since the day Downing Street had been blown up. Not that anyone had called him to explain aliens had caused the explosion, but he remembered _his_ explanation, that first time that _he_ had landed his ship in Cardiff and explained about the Slitheen. And in a sense he wasn't lying when he told Suzie that he wanted to know what the others were up to. If he hadn't known about the aliens invading London before it even happened, and if he hadn't known that _he_ would come and take care of the one who had become mayor now, Cardiff might have been in serious danger. As much as Jack wanted to keep clear of One with their 'If it's alien it's ours', and of those who'd done their very best to kill him when they'd first found him, he couldn't let the city be destroyed because of it. Protecting Earth and guarding the Rift was what had kept him sane during the twentieth century and he'd be damned if he didn't continue now.

He suddenly became aware of a hand waving in front of his face. 'Hey Jack, you still there?'

_Why am I letting this affect me this much? I shouldn't let it distract me like that!_

'Don't worry about that. Go and prepare your stuff. I'm sure there are some files in the archives about the people you should watch out for.'

Although Suzie had made a face at his mention of the archives (he really, really needed to find someone who could tidy up down there), she didn't let herself be put off. 'You should at least _try_ to listen when I'm saying something, Jack. And just a moment ago, I was saying that you wouldn't survive Cardiff with only two people to guard it for three days.'

'You have no idea how much I can survive.'

His smile was almost bitter this time, but she ignored him.

'Let me stay here. Owen can take care of himself. He's assertive enough not to be taken unaware by anyone. The Rift may be quiet right now, but we have other things to keep us busy. Take this,' Jack barely had time to wonder where she had hidden the file which she now threw on his desk. She definitely hadn't been holding anything when she came in. Or had she? _You really should stop dreaming, Harkness._ In the meantime Suzie had ploughed on. '... and I don't trust her new project. What's with all the people involved in the new nuclear station dying?'

Was she talking about the mayor now? _O Suzie, you're really too smart._

'I promise you I'll look into it. By the time you get back, Tosh and I will have researched it, and we'll be able to stop her if anything is wrong. However, we can do nothing without any evidence.'

She was getting her fire back now, and he had to stop her before she backed him in a corner.

'As second in command...'

Jack interrupted her. 'Yes, as _second_ in command, you should obey my orders. I'm saying you're going to London and I'm saying we'll take care of the mayor.' _Of course, you have no idea who I'm thinking about when I say 'we'._ He felt slightly guilty when he saw her face fall. 'I'm also saying that Tosh and I will be fine. If anything happens, I know who to contact.' _Except I won't exactly need to contact anyone as _he _will be in town to take care of any alien activity._

He knew he'd hurt her when she stood up. 'Fine, _Captain._ I'll be off then, _Captain_. See you next week, _Captain._' She ignored his flinch when she saluted and stormed out.

If possible, Suzie left the office even angrier than she had come in. He heard her yell at Owen to be get home and start packing, because she was picking him up at six thirty. Then the alarm sounded as the cog door rolled open and closed again. The Hub was strangely silent, and he could see Tosh at her computer, staring at Suzie's retreating back for a moment before going back to her work.

He sighed. 'Damn, but I hate possible paradoxes.'

TBC

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><p><em>And that was my first chapter :D! Please review, reviewers get cookies.<em>

_I know the characters might seem slightly different to the way they act in the series. I've thought about it for a long time, but came to the conclusion that this is how they should be. Alex' suicide is still very fresh in Jack's memory and he's trying to keep a distance from his team, more so than after he recruits Gwen to be 'the heart'. Owen is a bit younger and has less experience, so I think this attitude fits him. Finally, Suzie hasn't been driven mad by the glove yet. She's still the responsible second in command that keeps Jack in his place. __I hope you agree with that conclusion, if not: review and tell me!_

_I wrote several chapters of this story already and they have been waiting around on my laptop for quite a long time. Now I have finally decided to post them here to know if anyone is interested in my writing an ending to this. The next two chapters are written and all the rest is in my head, just waiting to know if anyone wants me to write them down... Review and tell me ;-)!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you for all the reviews, and for adding this story to your alerts or your favourites. I'll do my best to let the following chapters live up to your hopes and expectations._ _Enjoy the second chapter :-)._

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><p>When Jack stepped into his office early in the morning, the Hub looked empty and abandoned. Of course, Suzie hadn't spent the night on the sofa after working on her latest project until he forced her to stop. Even Toshiko had left early. Unable to stand the oppressive silence after the others had disappeared, she'd given up at six and gone home. He glanced around once more before dropping heavily into his chair. Who was he kidding? The Hub was always this empty at five thirty in the morning, except when they were pulling an all-nighter. On other days the team didn't come in before ten, because for some reason aliens liked to invade in the evening or at night. The only thing wrong in the Hub at the moment was the insane nervousness coursing through his veins, which had finally made him abandon all attempts to fall asleep after three hours of staring at the dark ceiling.<p>

His mood went even further down when he gave up on the paperwork only to discover that the kitchenette's small fridge and cupboards were completely empty. He was about to call Suzie and beg her to bring something in with her, when he remembered that his second was angry at him and would be leaving for London, on his orders. Getting out of the Hub to buy some breakfast himself was out of the question. This was _the _day… _No don't go there._ The feeling to run and hide was growing stronger by the minute, but he was stuck in the Hub until sunrise the next morning. As far as he could remember - and his memories weren't that clear after more than a century - _they_ had arrived around nine o'clock and left Cardiff after less than twenty-four hours. However, he had no idea when Mickey the Idiot's train had pulled in and he couldn't afford to meet him before _they_ had left again.

_But reminiscing and worrying won't keep my stomach from grumbling._

The only thing he could do was to call Tosh before she came in and ask her to bring some food with her. She'd been praising some café in the bay for their heavenly croissants for weeks and he was quite certain she wouldn't mind bringing him some. However, Tosh wouldn't come in before ten. Dejectedly he turned back to his office. If he was awake he could just as well start on that report...

XXXXXXXXX

Somehow the sound of his cup smashing to pieces had a calming effect. The paperwork had long been abandoned and was lying in a corner of the office. He had thrown it there after rereading the few lines he had written and realising that he had mixed up the actions of the Ryepsrokitygh and Owen. If anyone had wanted to consult his report later on, they would have found that upon arrival at the scene Owen had tried to jump Suzie, had almost bitten her arm off and had then led them on a chase around the bay area, but was stopped by Toshiko stunning him.

Since he had been forced to find something else to keep him busy he had tried to clean out his office, but he'd given up on that as well when he caught himself looking at his computer screen for the seventh time to check if nothing suspect had happened on Roald Dahl Plass. To distract himself he had then decided to move his cleaning to the Archives, but after half an hour of moving dusty old boxes of reports from one corner to another he realised he wasn't accomplishing anything and returned upstairs. Once there he found it was finally late enough to call Tosh and ask her to bring some croissants. He'd been snappy and his request had been closer to an order, but he really couldn't bring himself to care when hunger and nerves were tearing his stomach to pieces.

_But Tosh is the only one of them left in Cardiff and she'll have to tolerate you and your jumpiness all day._

So he had tried to calm down, and after scrounging the kitchenette once more, he had found the last remnants of some coffee beans and had tried to make a decent cup of coffee. In the process he had almost managed to forget what all the nervousness was about. And then Mainframe had ruined it all by declaring that alien activity had been detected above the Hub, right before he heard the distinct sound of the TARDIS landing. Yes, the sound of his shattered cup had been satisfying, even if the walls and floor were now covered in shards and coffee.

XXXXXXXXX

By the time Tosh came in, Jack was ready to climb the walls. Mainframe had taken it upon herself to monitor the Plass and had projected CCTV footage in the board room. Powerless, the Captain had watched how Mickey arrived and stepped into the TARDIS, and how the four of them had exited a few minutes later. He hadn't needed sound to hear their conversation about the Chameleon Circuit, his memory was surprisingly clear about that moment. _'Yeah, what's with the Police Box, why does it look like that?' _

The youthfulness of the fourth man surprised him. Jack rationally knew he still grew older even if the process was slowed, but to see that was something else. The man on Roald Dahl Plass did not only look younger, but he was more at ease, more sure of himself, almost more _naïve_. This was a man who had struggled through a difficult childhood, but had moved on to become an officer in the Universe's most elite agency. He had proven himself time and time again before deserting and travelling as a successful conman. He knew he could talk himself out of a lot of situations, and when he failed he fought his way out. He had found great friends in the last of the Time Lords and a twenty-first century girl and was enjoying his life. He would never have suspected that in a week's time he would find himself left behind on a destroyed space station, betrayed by those same friends and unable to die.

Jack realised that the man on the screen lacked that weariness he saw in the mirror every morning, and the hard shell which he had built to protect himself. The Captain Jack Harkness living in the Hub still flirted with anything that moved, still went out at night to shag whoever he could find, but he never let anyone get close. He liked his team well enough and they got the job done, but none of them knew anything personal about him. And while he knew they talked about it, trying to find out how he had gathered all his alien knowledge, they never asked him, because they were well aware that the only results their questions would lead to were several weeks of having the dirtiest chores in the Hub. No, Jack Harkness had lost that naivety he could see in the other man, but at that moment he yearned for it.

He wanted to run outside and scream at them. Get _him_ to turn around and give a rational explanation, and then hug them all – even Mickey the Idiot – and follow them to that stupid café where he had told his stupid stories and where they had been having _fun_. He barely remembered the time where he had felt so free, had spoken about his own past without reservation, had laughed without holding anything back.

Caught up in his own thoughts he barely noticed that some part of him had decided to turn the projection off and hide all traces of what Mainframe had found that morning. It wouldn't do for Tosh to find out there was something going on. That there was actually a _TARDIS_ on top of the Hub and that he was quite unable to approach it without bringing about a violent time paradox. Or he would have been able to approach it, if only his memories were clear enough to remember whether anyone had gone back to it before going to City Hall. As it was, the risk of meeting one of _them_ on the Plass was just too great. But that didn't stop him from craving its calming presence, or from cursing his own memory for not being more useful to him.

He was still in the board room when Tosh arrived with her bag of croissants. She was obviously looking for him, scanning the Hub while she walked to her desk and put down her small backpack. When she noticed him, he raised his hand half-heartedly and she quickly walked up the stairs.

'You wouldn't believe who I just saw, Jack!' She obviously didn't blame him for being curt on the phone before, or maybe she had forgotten it in her enthusiasm.

'I was walking back from the café I told you about...' Probably forgotten, because she seemed to be so caught up in her story that she hadn't even noticed his bad mood yet. Which was all the better, since he _really_ didn't want to Tosh to become the victim of it.

'... and I wondered, do you have a brother?' _Uhoh._ Apparently while he had been dreaming, she had been telling him how she had met his past self in the street.

'Because one of them looked exactly like you, although he was slightly younger and more...,' Tosh paused and searched for the word. 'More soldier-like maybe?'

'Soldier-like?' That caught him off-guard. He was younger, certainly, about a hundred and fifteen years at that, and he had noticed that he'd been more naïve, but he hadn't seen that last part.

'Yes, you know, his hair was shorter and he carried himself differently. More self-consciously, like someone who is used to giving orders.' She handed him the bag, but he ignored it. His hunger had disappeared when he heard the TARDIS landing and it hadn't yet returned.

'And I'm not? You did notice that I usually give the orders around here, didn't you?' Toshiko laughed and shook her head.

'I don't mean that, I mean... I don't know. You seem more relaxed. There's only three of us, remember? You don't need that much discipline with only three people following you. He wasn't like that. He seemed more like someone who had been on battle fields not too long ago, who had ordered large contingents of men, and had been obeyed.' He felt surprised at her insight. Yes, a century of being stuck on earth _would_ change a former Time Agent, even if he had never realised it. Tosh was still talking. 'But I was wondering if you knew him? He really looked a lot like you.' She seemed to pick up on his hesitation. 'At first I was alarmed and I thought those shape shifters from last month were back, but since he didn't look _exactly_ like you, I thought he had to be family of some sorts... Was I wrong?'

'No.' Because of his nervousness he had completely forgotten about the shape shifters. Looking back, he was lucky he had changed that much, or Tosh might have reacted badly when she saw his look-alike. 'No, you were right, he's...' _He's what? Me a century ago? Yes, that would fit well with not giving away personal details. My brother?_ 'He's... It doesn't matter, Tosh. We won't have to go out today anyway, and he will be gone by tonight. For now, I want you to research the mayor. Suzie should have left some notes.'

Without another word Jack left the board room. He hoped his answer would suffice. Although she seemed more open and enthusiastic now that Owen and Suzie had left, Toshiko was usually quite shy and she knew that he didn't give out information about himself, so she wouldn't try to ask further. Her timidity was one of the reasons he had chosen her to stay behind and sent the other two away. He shoved back the pang of guilt at the knowledge that he had cut her off so abruptly while she had finally come out of her shell and tried to make conversation. Instead of regretting things he couldn't change, he should start fabricating an excuse for tonight, because he had a feeling she wouldn't be brushed off that easily anymore when lightning started striking the Plass.

TBC

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><p><em>Not much action in this one, but I wanted to portray Jack and his emotions clearly before attempting to let the characters out to play... Did you like what you read? Review and tell me, reviews and knowing that people are reading and appreciating this mean the world to me!<em>

_The next chapter is under construction. We finally get some action, and I wanted to get that just right, so it might take some more weeks (as classes will be starting again), but it is definitely coming. See you soon!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Finishing this chapter obviously took me more than a few weeks. I don't have an excuse, but thank you to all those who reviewed, put this on story alert, or added Boom Town to their favourites. Knowing that people were still reading this, is what made me decide to finally get back to it. Now, enjoy!_

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><p>Toshiko lifted her head and massaged her neck with one hand. Staying in the Hub and doing research without any of Owen's nattering or Suzie's distractions was nice, but after a whole day of looking at her screen she would welcome some running in alleys, merely to be able to stretch her legs. Not that she would ever admit that to one of her co-workers. Sighing, she rolled her chair back to look up at Jack's office. He hadn't moved a muscle since the last time she checked, and a quick peek at her watch told her that another hour had passed since then. Although she was convinced his bad mood had something to do with the man she had seen that morning, who had looked so similar to Jack that the two might have been brothers, she was afraid to mention it a second time.<p>

She knew he was a very private person, and he would only shut down if she asked him if there was anything she could do, but she couldn't help worrying. He had barely said a word when she brought him some take-out during her lunch-break and had spent the afternoon staring at CCTV-footage on his computer screen. He had noticed her looking at him a few times and hidden the image immediately, but those instances had been surprisingly far apart. It was not like the Captain to be so out of it and it troubled her. He was usually the first to tell them to get back to work, sprouting off details about the aliens they were facing without ever telling them where he got his knowledge. But now she was quite certain that he had not done any work all afternoon, that he had in fact not even moved from his desk. He must have been moving some time before she arrived, because she had noticed that his favourite cup was lying in pieces and coffee stained the floor of his office, but ...

A shrill beeping interrupted her contemplation. Red lights were flashing across her screen, and Toshiko leaped out of her chair, glad at the opportunity to finally get some action and to shake Jack out of his depressed mood.

'Jack, weevil alert! Three of them left the sewers and are heading towards the bay!'

XXXXXX

Long ingrained habits had Jack moving before his mind even started processing the implications of the alarms. While Tosh snatched up the weevil sprays, he grabbed his gun and his coat, and he had already called down the hidden lift to Roald Dahl Plass before he remembered the time machine standing in the middle of the square. It was made unnoticeable by a perception filter, but he could not discount the possibility that his technician's experience had made her less sensitive to those. He came to an abrupt halt and called Tosh back.

'Wait, we need to leave through the Tourist Office! If we go by the Plass we'll run into them head on. Bad idea if we want to take out three of them with just the two of us. We should go around and surprise them, split them up!'

Without giving Tosh any chance to answer, he ran through the cog door. _Wouldn't do to give her enough time to realise that meeting weevils head on is usually my favourite tactic. _

While they waited for the lift to reach the surface, he did his best to ignore her inquiring gaze and frantically ran through what he knew. There should be no danger of meeting himself, as he was certain that he had not left the TARDIS again during the evening, preferring to take that time to explore inside and get to know her circuits.

_But _he _left with Blon Fel Fotch to grant her a last meal. Where did they go? Come on, idiot, think! You've spent the whole day in front of CCTV-footage and you don't even know where they went?_

However, his day had mostly been spent in thought, dreaming about the trips in the TARDIS, tormenting himself with questions which only one being could have answered, and taking refuge in the idea that as _his_ appearances in the 20th century had been mostly chronological, the next time he would see _him_, would finally be a time where he could make contact. And at no time had he thought that any of the daily Torchwood work would interfere.

_I should have known better. Why would the Rift or the weevils grant us any rest because of a visiting Time Lord or an alien mayor? If Suzie ever hears about this she'll never let me live it down._

A soft chime indicated the lift's arrival and he ran out, with Tosh following closely behind him. Pushing his worries away he concentrated on the task ahead. Although chasing weevils was something of a sport for the members Torchwood Three and they saw the chase as a welcome distraction from paperwork, the sewer inhabitants were dangerous creatures and could easily kill a man if he did not stay focused.

_And if I want to catch three weevils while avoiding _him _and two of _his_ companions I will need that focus._

However, leaving the Tourist Office was harder than the captain had expected. A young couple was standing by the railing close to the Hub's entrance. They were too involved in their own fight to notice any passing alien hunters, but the girl's distinctive blond hair and jeans jacket had Jack sprinting into an alley.

_Stupid! You knew Rose and Mickey the Idiot had gone for a walk, you even saw them leave earlier!_

Once he was sure they couldn't see him anymore he halted, leaning against a wall and giving Tosh some time to catch up after his impulsive dash. She had been following closely behind, accustomed to the large amount of running Torchwood inspired in its employees. Completely focused on her equipment, she did not comment on the Captain's jumpiness.

'They split up. Two of them were distracted by something and stopped before reaching any of the more populated areas. The other is still coming this way. He could come around that corner any second now.'

After months of worrying about _his _unavoidable visit to Cardiff, the approaching aliens and the idea of upcoming fight was like a breath of fresh air. This was what had kept him going for all those years. It was now, it was real, and he knew how to handle it.

'All right. In that case, let's not waste time. This is what we do...'

When the weevil reached them they were ready. Jack was standing in the middle of the alley, blocking its access to the bay, and the creature charged, enraged by the insolent grin of a man who had stopped him and his nestmates many times when they left the sewers and tried to find more interesting hunting grounds.

Finding a momentary peace in a fight he had lead for such a long time that it had become second nature, the Captain savoured the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He waited until the weevil was almost within reach before stepping aside, and in a practiced movement he pushed his canister in the creature's face. Before it could react, Tosh moved out of the shadows on its other side, dispersing her own weevil spray in case Jack's move failed.

The creature dropped like a stone and was immediately tied up and hidden behind some dumpsters. Since two more of his kind were moving through the neighbourhood, bringing him to the Hub would have to wait until the area was safe again.

'Jack, the other two are moving again, they're going towards Alice Street.'

'Let's go then!'

The answer was tense but enthusiastic, full of the emotions that the weevil hunt always brought up, but before they could start running a violent tremor shook the city.

XXXXXX

Screams rang out from the busier areas of the bay as they heard people react to the unexpected quake. The population of the small city, who were used to unexplained incidents and Torchwood agents running around their town, had quickly learned to turn a blind eye as long as they were not affected, but an event that had the ground shaking under their feet lead to the same panic in Cardiff as in any other place.

The cries of people trying to get to safety reached the small alley when a second tremor hit and Toshiko grabbed onto the captain's long coat in an effort to keep her balance. She released her grip almost immediately, turning to her scanner.

'This can't be natural! Nothing predicted that we would be hit by an earthquake. We need to get back to the Hub, Jack, my scanner is not enough to find out what's going on. I can't manage to get the information I need!'

Frantically, she tried to call up the most recent Rift observations, but something in Mainframe seemed to be blocking her.

'Come on, come oooon... No!'

A large sign flashed over her small screen: 'Access Denied'. Her fingers flew over the keys in an attempt to stop what she knew would happen next, but in a matter of seconds and with a large amount of beeping, the scanner shut down. If any outside device tried to consult Torchwood software which it was not allowed access to, Mainframe automatically sent out a virus to destroy the enemy device. She knew that, since she had designed the virus herself, but she had never expected it to turn against her own scanner, and especially not when she was simply examining the day's rift activity with a program she used almost daily. The Hub computer had the strongest virus scanning equipment she knew, resisting everything humans and most aliens could throw at it. If the computer was affected, this was even worse than she feared.

'Jack, something shut down my scanner, we should get back to the Hub, right now.'

It surprised her that he had not already pulled her back to the bay while she was still watching her equipment. Only too often, the others had to drag her along, because she was doing research on her handheld scanner during action in the field. Not this time though. This time Jack was looking back the way they had come with a lost look on his face, as if he was not quite sure where the Hub was supposed to be. In the excitement of the chase she had almost forgotten that that same look had graced his features all day. It was as if he did not know where he belonged, or where he needed to go next.

'Jack! We need to move!'

She moved to grab him by his sleeve, ready to be the one who did the pulling for once, but he shrugged her off so suddenly that she jumped back in surprise. While he had looked lost before, his eyes now held a strange intensity, as if he had finally decided on a question which he had neglected for a long time.

'No. We need to go on and look for those weevils. This earthquake will drive them wild and you said they were running towards a housing estate.'

Refusing to let her arguments be dismissed so easily, Toshiko stood firm while he turned away from the bay. 'But I lost my scanner! There is no way we can follow them, and this earthquake cannot be natural. There might be something much worse than those weevils out there and we would never know it!'

'We have this.' He gestured to the wrist strap he always wore. There was a small computer screen attached to it, but he had never allowed her to touch it, even though curiosity had eaten away at her ever since she joined his team two years earlier. Even now, he held it away while he worked on it. Making as little noise as possible, she inched closer, but he sent her a knowing grin and continued typing.

XXXXX

_Oh man, you've grown too dependent on all your Torchwood software if it takes you this long to find two simple alien life forms on a Vortex manipulator, Captain!_

He could see Tosh getting rebellious a few feet away. First he had flat out refused to let her research what was happening, and now he was practically dangling a piece of very mysterious tech under her nose. While the small Japanese was usually shy, he knew that he would be the recipient of her unusual but infamous temper if he didn't find those creatures soon. She was so preoccupied glaring at him that the last tremor had not even made her lose her balance.

_Almost... almost... Yes, there!_

'There it is, they're moving erratically along Alice Street, and in a few minutes people will start streaming onto the streets, wondering what this is all about. We need to intercept them before that happens. Come on!'

Seeing the defiant frown starting to form, he tried to grab Tosh before the ranting began, but she slipped away.

'No! Jack, stop right here and explain, because I'm not moving before...'

He cut her off abruptly. 'Do you want to lose precious time arguing? We have two weevils and a bunch of ignorant and panicked civilians. How hard can it be to understand?'

Her sense of duty was clearly battling her annoyance, so he took hold of her arm and started to pull her along, when they were interrupted by a third person standing at the mouth of the alley.

'Hey, stop! What do you think you're doing?'

_Oh no. Shit, not him!_

'Let go of the lady!'

'No, he's not...'

'It's okay, I won't let him touch you.'

'But he wasn't...'

'Let her go right now!'

'Will you listen...'

_Good ol' Tosh, defending me even now. But if I try to run off, she'll have a hard time explaining and the weevils will still be wreaking havoc on Alice Street. There's only one option..._

'I wasn't doing anything. The lady is a friend of me.'

'Yes, fine friend you are. Start by letting go of her.'

_All right, have it your way. I didn't even know I was still holding her sleeve._

With an exaggeratedly courteous gesture, Jack let go. The other man had moved forward during the argument and was now standing a mere five yards away from them, but in the badly-lit alley he would not have been able to distinguish their faces yet. However, the Captain knew he would recognise the leer in his next sentence.

'Come on Mickey, do you really believe I could ever hurt a lady?'

'Captain Cheesecake? How did _you_ get here?'

TBC

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><p><em>Thank you for reading! This chapter took me a lot of time, because I feel quite uncertain when I'm writing passages with more action. I know I finished with a big cliffhanger, but the next chapter is in progress :-). What did you think of it? Please review, and make my day :D!<em>


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